Gerard Charles, artistic director of BalletMet Columbus, will leave in July to become Ballet Master of Chicago’s renowned Joffrey Ballet.

“We’re in a strong position right now as a viable arts organization, and a new leader will be a great opportunity for the company to explore new ideas with new hope,” Charles said.

Founded in 1978, BalletMet has produced 129 premieres — including more than 30 during Charles’ decade-long tenure as artistic director. With 25 full-time resident dancers, the troupe ranks among the nation’s largest dance companies, while its Dance Academy ranks among the five largest professional dance-training centers.

“Gerard is a real adventurer and risk-taker who has used the talents of his own community and balanced it well with outside artists,” said Victoria Morgan, artistic director and CEO of Cincinnati Ballet, which has collaborated with BalletMet on Swan Lake and other productions.

“All that will be important as BalletMet moves forward with their quest for a new artistic director.”

A search committee, headed by BalletMet board member Susan Porter and Development Director Nancy Strause, will conduct an international search for a new artistic director.

Charles, who has worked at BalletMet for 22 years, moved from Milwaukee to Columbus in 1986 to dance with the troupe. He left early in the 1990s to work four years in Montreal, then returned to dance and later became ballet master, associate artistic director and interim artistic director. Late in 2001, he became artistic director.

Charles said he was “fortunate to inherit the work of many people before me.” He said he is proud of the quality of dances and number of new works commissioned during his tenure, in addition to simply surviving the economic downturn.

Under his 10½ -year leadership, the company toured Russia for the first time and visited New York twice.

Charles also helped broaden and balance the repertory of the troupe, which offers classical masterpieces, such as The Sleeping Beauty; new works, such as DanceTech and 30 x 30; and family favorites, such as Alice in Wonderland and Charles’ popular version of The Nutcracker.

“Everybody’s going to be sad to lose Gerard because he’s been such a great artistic director,’ said Julie Henahan, executive director of the Ohio Arts Council.

“BalletMet has been stellar for years and Gerard has had such an artistic impact on the merit of the work . . . While it will be a challenge to fill the position, BalletMet has a very professional staff and strong board that no doubt will find an appropriate successor.”

Charles received the Columbus Arts Endowment Raymond J. Hanley Fellowship in 2011 and a choreographic fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts. He forged pioneering collaborations with Jazz Arts Group, Ohio State University, Phoenix Theatre for Children and Shadowbox Live.

“Gerard’s genius has been in both introducing internationally acclaimed choreographers to Columbus audiences, and introducing BalletMet to international audiences,” Mary Duffey, chair of the BalletMet board, said in a statement.

His new Chicago position, one step below the Joffrey Ballet artistic director, will give Charles an opportunity to focus more on art and less on administration and planning.

“It’s a new challenge at a different company with different expectations,” Charles said.

“There are only so many hours in a day, and this will allow me to work more closely with dancers and spend more time with choreographers to coach new pieces more often.”

When Charles left England, where he danced with a ballet company, the first U.S. city he came to was Chicago. His wife, Cathy Yoshimura, also is from Chicago.

Until he leaves Columbus in mid-July, Charles will work with BalletMet to launch its 2012-13 season, which will begin Aug. 18 with the Global Dance Stars Gala.

Cheri Mitchell will continue as BalletMet’s executive director, a position she has held for 11 years.